Mali's Ansar Dine splits - new faction rejects extremism and wants dialogue

[smurfy]

[img]http://imgkk.com/i/z2rr.gif[/img]

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21180766[/url]

[quote]One of the Islamist groups fighting in northern Mali has split and wants dialogue, a statement from the breakaway faction says.

Islamic Movement for Azawad said it was splitting from Ansar Dine, and "rejects all forms of extremism and terrorism".[/quote]

[laserguided]

They didn't merge until ECOWAS decided to send troops, afaik.

[Scrimp]

They are just scared that France will steam roll over them.

[ewitwins]

[QUOTE=Scrimp;39344986]They are just scared that France will steam roll over them.[/QUOTE]

Which they will :v:

[Radley]

I feel ashamed over myself that every time I try to act maturely and see niger I can't help but smile.

On-Topic: I agree with the previous, most likely split up because they wanted to save face and cut their losses.

[Lonestriper]

This group seems closer to the original Tuareg rebels who allied with the Islamists for convenience than the Islamists themselves. I'm hoping the Tuareg rebel group and breakaways like this isolate the extremist sections of the rebels enough to force a capitulation and a move towards dialogue, which would be far better for an autonomous or semi-autonomous Tuareg region than the current conflict will probably obstruct. This whole Mali intervention is pretty striking in how many shades of grey each side is (with the notable exception of AQIM or other extremist Islamic groups).

[Radley]

The tuareg have rebel groups? Hard to imagine when they aren't really part of any country and and they mostly have a christian mixed animism belief (with a few islam exceptions)

[editline]25th January 2013[/editline]

oh wait, they are fighting the islamists. Shouldn't they be on the good side with french troops then?

[Lonestriper]

That's a fundamental misunderstanding of the conflict. The Tuareg have always been the rebels against the Malian government they see as suppressors. The French and Malians are fighting a rebel group consisting of the original Tuareg group and Islamists who bolstered their forces

[editline]25th January 2013[/editline]

You would have gotten that had you read the article